Apparatus and method for producing a textured thread

ABSTRACT

Method of texturing yarns or threads wherein filaments or filament bundles of same are humidified while under controlled tension, are heated on one side and are cooled and pressed and then relaxed, and apparatus for performing such method.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Lajos Horvath Kirchemveg 3, Walliscllen;

Hans Heinz Schiller, Schwermenbacherstrasse 30, Fallanden, both of Clinton 0! Zurich, Swiwerhnd [21] Appl. No. 833,484

[22] Filed June 16, 1969 [45] Patented July 13, 1971 [32] Priority June 17, I968 [33] Switzerland [31] 8954/68 5 41 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A TEXTURED THREAD 10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs 52 US. Cl 57 140 R, 28/12, 28/72.1, 161/173 [51] lut.Cl D02g 1/00 [50] Field ofSearch. 7.1 1 28/1.2,1.3, 15,721,721 1,72.l3; l6l/173;5l/l40 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,346,931 10/1967 Kashima et a1. 28/1 .3 3,358,345 12/1967 Daniel 2811.2 3,374,302 3/1968 Stanley 28/72.1 X

Primary Examiner-Louis K. Rimrodt Attorney-Ward, McElhannon, Brooks & Fitzpatrick ABSTRACT: Method of texturing yarns or threads wherein filaments or filament bundles of same are humidified while under controlled tension, are heated on one side and are cooled and pressed and then relaxed, and apparatus for performing such method.

APEARATUS AND ME'lllillQll) FOR PROlDiUQlNG A TEXTURED THREAD This invention relates to thread and yarn treatment, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for texturing same. It is known from US. Pat. No. 2,974,39l to texture yarn or thread (hereinafter thread) filaments of thermoplastic linear polymers by passing them over an electric resistance wire which has been heated to a temperature above the melting point ofthe thread, wherein only the parts which enter into contact with the wire are heated over the entire thread length. The thus treated threads are then subjected to further heat treatment in order to develop crimp under no tension or under only slight tension. 1! is, however, a disadvantage of this system that the electrically heated resistance wire is rapidly worn off due to the constant friction of the threads passing thereover; and this also causes irregularities in the heating effect on the thread. Furthermore, the texturing effect obtainable by this method is not very strong; and the regularity and permanence ofthe crimp are not satisfactory.

Furthermore, a similar process for texturing is known which comprises heating of previously stretched thermoplastic threads so that a temperature gradient is obtained across the yarn, and cooling and relaxing the yarn, In order to obtain a temperature gradient, the thread is passed over a heated roller and pressed against the same by means of an air-cooled counterroller. The simultaneous heating of the thread on one side while cooling same on the other side, however, bears the disadvantage of a relatively high energy consumption. Additionally, the texturing effect obtained according to this method has insufficient permanence.

Accordingly, we contribute by out present invention a method and apparatus for texturing threads which overcome the foregoing difficulties and disadvantages. Essentially, our invention contemplates a method and apparatus by which the filaments or filament bundles are first humidified or moistened while under controlled tension, are heated on one side by means of a separately arranged heating surface, and are immediately cooled and pressed by passing them through between the cold surfaces of a cooled pair of pressure rollers, and thereafter relaxing them.

The invention furthermore relates to an apparatus for executing the process of our invention which is characterized in that there are successively arranged, in direction of advance of the threads, a member for selecting the yarn tension, a threadmoistening device, a thread-spreading device, a heating device and immediately thereafter a cooling and pressing air of rollers.

By performance of the process of our invention, an asymmetric course of tension across the section of the filament is fixed by immediately cooling the filaments after the one-sided heating thereof. in this way, a pronounced permanent texture effect is obtained which is improved by the mechanical deformation effect ofpressing.

The filaments or filament bundles to be treated may consist partly or completely or thermoplastic synthetic material such as polyamides, e.g. polyhexamethylene adipamide (polyamide 66), condensation products of Epsilon-aminocaproic acid (polyamide 6) or llbaminoundecanoic acid (polyamide l l furthermore of polyesters (polyethylene glycol terephtalatc), materials on a vinylic base (polyacrylonitrile), polyolefines or cellulose acetate.

lt is also possible to subject filaments or filament bundles of the aforementioned materials which have been subjected to only partial cold-stretching or to none at all to achieve molecular orientation, which is a treatment usually effected on all structures of synthetic materials, to the treatment according to out present invention, during or after which they are subjected to cold-stretching.

An example of the apparatus of the invention is represented in the drawings and described in more detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing ofthe apparatus for execution of the process of our invention; and

HO. 2 is a perspective view ofthe texturing arrangement.

Referring now to the drawings, the multifilament yarn 1 is drawn from a cop 2 over a yarn brake 3, in lieu of which a pair of rollers may be employed, to the moistening device 4 which consists of a roller 6 rotating in a vessel 5 filled with water. The humidified yarn E is passed over the deviating rollers 7 and 3 and on to a spreading device 9 which consists of a bar provided with an edge over which the yarn is passed at an acute angle to effect spreading of the single filaments of the yarn l. The yarn l is then passed to a heating device 10 which consists of a ceramic tube Ill which may have a diameter of approximately 10 mm. and in the interior of which is arranged a coil 20 of resistance wire. The yarn l undergoes a change of direction as it passes in contact with the lower face of the tube ll contacting same along a distance of the order of 0.5 to 1 mm. The ceramic tube 1] may be moved to and fro slowly, say about five times per minute in axial direction and simultaneously rotated about its axis slowly, at l revolution per minute for example. In this way, the yarn is made to run over a constantly changing part of the tube ill, whereby irregular wear and soiling of the tube 111 is avoided, Immediately after one side of the yarn is heated, it is passed through a pair of cooled pressure rollers l2, 13 arranged at the shortest possible distance from the tube E1. The roller 12 is equipped in any conventional manner with an exchangeable weight 14 so that the pressure exerted on the yarn l as it passes between the rollers may be accurately controlled. The roller 12 is hollow and may be cooled by cold water or another cooling medium which may be fed to the hollow space by the feed tube 17.

Between the thread brake 3 and the pair of rollers 12, 13, the yarn 1 is under controlled tension, and relaxation is effected immediately after it passes the rollers.

ln order to develop the latent texture effects existing in the relaxed yarn l, the same may be subjected to heat treatment such as by steaming or applying hot air, for example. The development of the texture effect may be achieved continuously directly after texturing. A separate execution of the two treatments is also possible.

EXAMPLE 1 A multifilament yarn of polyamide 66 having a titer of 30 denier and consisting of 10 individual filaments is passed through the apparatus shown at a speed of 250 m./min. The yarn is first moistened with water in the humidifying device 4 and passed to the heating device via a spreading device 9 in which heating device it is passed over the tube 11 which is heated to approximately 500 C., the yarn entering into contact with the heated tube on one side only. Immediately after one-sided heating, the yarn is cooled by the pair of pressure rollers l2, l3, and pressed to flatness. The pressure per cm. between the rollers 12, 13, is 500 gms. per cm. in this case. Between the thread brake 3 and the pair of rollers l2, 13, the yarn is under a tension of 15 gms. After leaving the pair of rollers 12, 13, the yarn is relaxed and treated with hot air for 40 seconds in order to achieve development of the texture effect, whereupon it is wound up.

EXAMPLE 2 A multifilament yarn of polyethylene glycol terephtalate having a titer of 75 denier consisting of 16 individual filaments is passed through the apparatus shown at a speed of 350 m./min. The yarn is moistened or humidified with an aqueous solution of 50 gms. per liter of resorcin and, after passing the spreading device h, is passed over the tube ll of the heating device M), which is heated to 700 C., in one-sided contact. lmmediatcly thereafter, the yarn is passed through the pair of pressure rollers 12, 13, the pressure between which is 500 gms. per cm. Between the thread brake 3 and the pair of rollers l2, 13, the yarn is under a tension of 25 gms. The yarn is then relaxed and treated with superheated steam during 20 seconds in order to develop crimp, whereupon it is wound up.

In each case, a strong, regular textured effect of considerable permanence was achieved.

What we claim is:

1. Process for texturing thread filaments or filament bundles consisting at least partly of thermoplastic material by producing in the filaments a temperature gradient therethrough in a transverse direction to their longitudinal axis, characterized in that the filaments or filament bundles are first moistened while under controlled tension, then heated on one side, submitted to pressing and cooling immediately thereafter, and finally relaxed.

2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the filaments or filament bundles are moistened with water.

3. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the filaments or filament bundles are moistened with the aqueous solution of a thread-swelling agent.

4. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the relaxed filaments or filament bundles are subjected to further heat treatment with a hot medium in order to develop the texture effect.

5. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that, as starting material, filaments or filament bundles of thermoplastic synthetic material are used which have been subjected to at most a partly cold-stretching treatment to achieve molecular orientation.

6. Permanently textured filaments or filament bundles produced according to the process of claim 1.

7. Apparatus for texturing thread filaments or bundles of filaments, comprising sequentially in the direction of longitudinal advance of the thread to be textured; means for selectively adjusting the tension in the advancing thread, threadmoistening means, a thread-filament-spreading device, means for applying heat to one side of the advancing spread thread, and means for cooling and pressing the thread.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the heating device consists of a ceramic tube enclosing a heating coil and being movable in axial direction and simultaneously rotatable about its longitudinal axis.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the cooling and pressing means comprise a pair of rollers between which the advancing thread passes.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one roller of the pair of cooling and pressure rollers is a hollow roller in the cavity of which a cooling medium may be introduced. 

2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the filaments or filament bundles are moistened with water.
 3. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the filaments or filament bundles are moistened with the aqueous solution of a thread-swelling agent.
 4. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the relaxed filaments or filament bundles are subjected to further heat treatment with a hot medium in order to develop the texture effect.
 5. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that, as starting material, filaments or filament bundles of thermoplastic synthetic material are used which have been subjected to at most a partly cold-stretching treatment to achieve molecular orientation.
 6. Permanently textured filaments or filament bundles produced according to the process of claim
 1. 7. Apparatus for texturing thread filaments or bundles of filaments, comprising sequentially in the direction of longitudinal advance of the thread to be textured; means for selectively adjusting the tension in the advancing thread, thread-moistening means, a thread-filament-spreading device, means for applying heat to one side of the advancing spread thread, and means for cooling and pressing the thread.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the heating device consists of a ceramic tube enclosing a heating coil and being movable in axial direction and simultaneously rotatable about its longitudinal axis.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the cooling and pressing means comprise a pair of rollers between which the advancing thread passes.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one roller of the pair of cooling and pressure rollers is a hollow roller in the cavity of which a cooling medium may be introduced. 